Toy locomotive cab contained motor and relay



Nov. 4, 1958 R. E. SMITH 2,853,645 'l TOY LOCOMOTIVE CAB CONTAINED MOTORAND RELAY Filed July 50, 1954 ATTORNEY United States Patent O TOYLOCOMOTWE CAB CONTAINED MOTOR AND RELAY Raymond E. Smith, Hamden, Conn.,assignor to The A. C. Gilbert Company, New Haven, Conn., a corporationof Maryland Application July 30, 1954, serial No. 446,820

9 claims. (ci. 46-244) This invention relates to apparatus for effectingremote control of toy electric motorsl that are reversible in runningdirection by electromagnetic switching of circuits in their system ofelectric power supply. The present improvements particularly concern thecontrol of propulsion motors yof a type suitable for propellingminiature locomotives of toy trains and for use in other smallelectrically animated toys where space is at a premium.

It has been customary to place an electromagnetic switch or relay, forstopping, starting and/or reversing the direction of running of thepropulsion motor of a toy train, in some piece of rolling stock of thetrain such as the tender that is separate and distinct from thelocomotive. This objectionably requires that exible circuit leads extendvisibly from the motor in the locomotive to thetender. It also sometimesnecessitates that the tender as well as the locomotive be equipped tocollect electric current through its wheels from the track rails.

One object of the present improvements is to incorporate a controllingrelay for starting, stopping and/or reversing a toy locomotivepropulsion motor directly inside the locomotive in close proximity tothe propulsion motor.

Another object is to attain maximum simplicity and compactness ofstructure in an electrically cooperative motor and controlling relaycombination by mounting the motor controlling relay directly on thestator of the motor in a manner to form a unified though dividablecomposite structure.

Another object is so to position the unified motor and relay structurethat the relay is presented in an exposed and easily accessible locationat the rearwardly facing open end of the locomotive cab.

Another object is to equip the propulsion motor of a toy train with abuilt-in or built-on motor controlling, electromagnetic, relay switchthat effects changes in the motor circuit at each cutot and/ orrestoration of current to the train track from which both the motor andthe relay derive cooperative electrical energization.

Further objects are so to consolidate a remote control or relay switchwith its controlled motor that certain parts of the relay most likely toneed servicing or replacement are readily accessible without disturbingother parts of the unit.

The foregoing and other advantages of the improvements will be apparentfrom the following description of illustrative embodiments of theinvention having reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a Ifragmentary side view of the cab section of a toy electriclocomotive with its casing shell broken away to expose a unifiedarrangement of propulsion motor and controlling relay incorporating theinvention.

Fig. 2 shows the motor controlling relay as viewed in Fig. l drawn on anenlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a view looking from the right at Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view looking from the right at Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the relay shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

Fig. 6 is a view taken in section on the plane 6--16 in Fig. 3 lookingin the direction of the arrows.

Figs. 7 and 8 are'perspective views of the frame and magnet core,respectively, of the relay.

Fig. 9 is a diagram of electrical connections.

In Fig. l, the hollow casing of the toy locomotive isV shown broken awayat 12 supported upon a chassis 13 in which are journaled the drivingwheels 14 of the locomotive. In most respects the locomotive may beconstructed in detail as shown in fuller detail in U. S. Patent No.2,610,438.

As most clearly shown in Fig. 1 herein, the armature 15 of thelocomotive propulsion motor 16 has a power shaft 17 worm-threaded at 18to mesh drivingly with a worm wheel 19 fast to the axle 20 of at leastone of the driving wheels 14. The stator of motor 16 carries the usualfield winding 25.

According to the present improvements the stator 24 of motor 16 includesa body 23 of insulative material comprising a fixed section of the motorstator and which may incorporate a bearing bushing 22 for one end of themotor shaft 17. Ther insulative body 23 of stator 24 carries thesub-frame of a motor controlling relay which in Fig. 1 is designated 27as a whole. ln Figs. 1 through 8 the sub-frame of the relay comprises abracket 28 shown detached in Fig. 7 which may be formed as an integralpiece of bent sheet metal having a cross bar portion 29 spanning a spacebetween two upright side portions 30 and 31. The left side portion 30 ofbracket 28 contains a slanting notch 32 and the right side portion 31vcarries a lug 33 in which there is a corresponding slanting notch 34.Notches 32 and 34 serve as bearings in which are respectively journaledthe trunnion ends of an axle 38 carrying an electric circuit controllingcontact drum 39.

The -stationary core 40 of an electromagnet 41 is formed by one downwardexten-ding leg or branch of an integral F-shaped block 44 of suitablemagnetizable material such as a molded bodyl of sintered iron mix shownin detail in Fig. 8. Another leg 45 of block 44 parallels and is spacedlaterally from core leg 40 in offset relation thereto and carries at itsbottom end a hinge pin 46 on which there is rockably supported themounted .end of an armature 56 of the electromagnet 41. Block prising ahollow upright barrel 48 of insulating material' that may be moldedintegrally with top and bottom spool heads 49 and 50, respectively. Thetop spool head 49 has an upward extending flange 51 penetrated by theaforesaid mounting screw 42 whereby to hold the spool in xed relation tocore 40. A conventional solenoid winding 52 is carried on the core spool47.

Armature 56 of electromagnet 41 comprises a rocker bar 57 having hingelugs 58 that are swingably mounted on the aforementioned hinge pin 46.This armature may be made of magnetic ingot iron and carries a patchplate 59 of the same material in position to be attracted by themagnetic field at the bottom end of core leg 40. Plate 59 is preventedfrom coming into actual contact with this core leg by the head of anon-magnetic brass rivet 60.

The free end 61 of armature bar 57 rises and falls responsively tomagnetic energizing and deenergizing of core leg 40. Its free end isnarrowed and loosely engages in an aperture 65 through the bottom endportion of a vertically shiftable plate pawl 66 wherefore to actuate thelatter. Pawl 66 is guided in its vertical reciprocative movement byextending through a narrow space adjacent the left side portion 30 ofbracket 28 afforded by .ears 67 that are offset from the sheet metal ofthe bracket. Midway its vertical length pawl 66 further is guided tosway in up and down movements by means of a suitably shaped aperture 68therein whose edges are engaged by the shank of a stationary guide stud69 fixed in the bracket side 30 and having an enlarged head thatoverlaps and constrains the pawl 66.

The top arcuate tip 64 of pawl 66 is adapted to engage successively withconsecutive teeth on a ratchet wheel 74 in a manner to poke the latterstep-by-step in increments of rotation. Each reciprocation of pawl 66thus causes a one-eighth revolution of the ratchet wheel. Ratchet wheel74 is fastened on one of the trunnion ends of axle 38 of the contactdrum 39 so that each upward stroke of the armature 56 likewise rotatesdrum 39 one-eighth of a revolution. An auxiliary extension or checkfinger 70 on pawl 66 serves as a click by engaging with a tooth onratchet wheel 74 different from that tooth which is being poked by pawltip 64 thereby to prevent the pawl advanced rotary parts fromoverrunning the designed increment of rotation as shown in the brokenline position of the pawl in Fig. 2.

Circuit switching contact drum 39 has a core 75 of insulative material,such as any suitable molded plastic, that is made fast to the drum axle38 and is grooved in regions of its periphery to be fitted thereat withthree commutator segments. Two of these segments comprise hollowconductive end caps 76 in permanent electrical connection with axle 38and each castellated in an axial direction to present at the peripheralsurface of the drum core diametrically opposite contact faces 76staggered apart at ninety degrees circumferential spacing about theperiphery of the drinn. The third or intermediate commutator segment 77is a tubular element that sleeves over the insulative drum core andpresents four contact faces extending alternately in opposite axialdirections and spaced apart ninety degrees circumferentially and locatedcentrally between the four contact faces afforded jointly by the two endcaps 76 so as to interdigitate therewith in completely insulatedrelation thereto.

Contact drum 39 is rotated step-by-step and lightly wipes past the drumcontacting ends of three stationary conductive brushes 78, 79 and 80which may comprise spring leaves of beryllium copper.

free ends. A mid portion of each of the spring leaves 78 and 80 isclamped between the aforesaid upstanding insulative flange 51 ofsolenoid spool 47 and a terminal base block 81 comprising an angularbody of molded insulation that is penetrated by the same mounting screw42 that extends through the solenoid core block 40 and spool flange 51.The bottom ends of spring leaves 78 and 80 project to form binding post86 and 87, respectively, for electrical connections hereinafter referredto.

The third or central brush 79 is secured by a rivet or eyelet 83 on ashelf portion of the terminal base 81. This brush constitutes a springleaf of conductive metal which slants upward from the terminal base 81to bear on the commutator drum 39 at a point displaced circumferentially45 degrees from the points on the drum where the brushes 78 and 80 makecontact. A laterally extending tongue 84 forms a part of the spring leaf79 that projects laterally beyond the terminal base 81 to serve as abinding post for electrical connection hereinafter referred to.

:Under the head of screw 42 there also is clamped a conductive terminalbar 82 that projects laterally beyond the terminal base block 81 toserve as a binding post affording anchorage for electrical connectionshereinafter referred to.

Brushes 78 and 80 y, are alike and bear against the drum near theirupstanding A current supplying conductive leaf spring 85 removablymounted on relay frame and in electrical contact with a trunnion end 38of the metallic drum axle 20 and releasably retains the axle rotatablyjournaled in the frame bracket bearing notches 32 and 34 while placingthe axle in constant electrical connection with relay frame 28. Figs. 3,4 and 5 best show the disposition and removable mounting of spring leaf85 on the frame bracket 28.

For disabling the action of armaturev 56 at will, the outboard end 62 ofits bar 57 is engageable by a stop arm 89 that is swingably mounted onleg 92 of frame bracket 28 by means of a pivot stud 90 and frictionallystayed by spring washer 91 in orout of a position to block the armatureagainst magnetically urged movement as shown in full lines and brokenlines, respectively, in Fig. 4.

The operation is conveniently understood by reference to the wiringdiagram of Fig. 9 wherein electric current is assumed to be derived bythe locomotive carried equipment from the track rails 21 in any one ofseveral known manners. From one of the track rails 21 current is confducted by suitable insulated leads, not shown in Figs. l to 7, to onearmature brush of motor 16 and also tol one end of the winding 52 ofsolenoid 41. The other armature brush of motor 16 is electricallyconnected to the spring leaf 79 at the latters binding post terminal 84which spring leaf is constantly in electric contact with commutatorsegment 77. One end of the motor field winding 25 is electricallyconnected to spring leaf 78 at the latters binding post terminal 86 andthe other end of the motor winding is electrically connected to thespring leaf at the latters binding post terminal 87. The other one ofthe track rails 21 is electrically connected by conductive leads, notshown in Figs. l to 7, to the binding post terminal 82 that is groundedvto the relay frame 28 through the medium of screw 42 and to the otherend of the winding 52 of the solenoid 41. Certain of the mechanicalparts represented in Fig. 9 bear the same reference numerals as they doin other figures of the `drawings.

With the above understanding of the electrical connections and assumingthat the commutator drum 39is in such rotary position that the springleaves 78 and 88 are both in contact with that insulative surface 75 ofthe drum that intervenes between the conductive drum segments 76 and'77, obviously no current can flow through the motor because thecircuits containing spring leaves '78, 79 and 88 are all dead ended. Atall times, however, the winding 52 of solenoid 41 is in circuit acrossthe track rails 21, 21. Therefore so long as the track is electricallyenergized, solenoid 41 maintains its armature 56 lifted to its brokenline position in Fig. 3 where it remains until.

current is cut-0E from the track.

When current is cut-off from the track solenoid 41 is deprived ofcurrent and its armature 56 together with pawl 66 falls by gravity tothe full line position kin Fig. 3 whereupon the actuating finger 64 ofpawl 66 drops to its full line position in Fig. 2 ready to engage thenext tooth 32 of ratchet wheel 74 when pawl 66 is next lifted. Thisoccurs whenever current is restored to the track rails 21, whereuponsolenoid 41 is energized and its armature 56 attracted upward. Thiscauses pawl 66 to rotate the commutator drum 39 one-eighth of a fullturn which brings one or another of the commutator segments 76 intocontact with spring leaf 78 or 80 respectively. This furnishes currentto the motor armature through leaf spring and 79 through the medium ofsegment 77 and simultaneously furnishes current through `one or anotherof the commutator segments 76 to the motor winding 25 through the leafspring 78 or 88 depending upon the rotary position of drum '39.

Thus it will be seen that at each quarter turn of the commutator' drumcurrent passes through the rnotortield winding in alternately reversedirections which causes the 28 bears constantly against motor to runalternately in reverse directions of rotation after the commutator drumin each case has passed through an intervening step of commutat-orrotation wherein no current at all is supplied to the motor.

The consequent operative effect upon the running of the train is thatstep-by-step rotary advance of the commutator drum causes the followingsequence of effects upon the propulsion motor 16: stops train-runs trainforward-stops train-runs train backward. This sequence of currentcontrolling action of the relay continues ad infinitum and serves todetermine whether the train shall run forward or backward or shall bebrought to a stop merely by alternately cutting-off and restoringcurrent to the track rails.

I claim:

1. The combination of, the cab portion of a toy locomotive having arearwardly directed opening, a propulsion motor sharing the space insaid cab portion having an armature shaft extending forward and alignedaxially with said opening, and an electromagnetic relay sharing saidspace in said cab portion located at said opening, comprising arelatively thin assembled unit having its length and breadth disposedathwart the axis of said shaft for compacting the combined spaceconsuming bulk of said motor and said relay lengthwise the locomotive,said unit incorporating an electromagnet and movable contactsmechanically connected to be shiftable thereby and electricallyconnected to vary circuits through which said motor is energized.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, in which the said relay unitincludes a conductive mounting protrusion, together with a motor statorencompassing the said armature shaft incorporating an insulative body onwhich said mounting protrusion is supported and by which said protrusionis insulated from the motor stator.

3. The combination defined in claim 2, together with fastening meansdetachably holding the said relay unit to the said motor stator.

4. The combination deiined in claim 2, together with fastening meansdetachably holding the said mounting protrusion to the said insulativebody.

5. The combination defined in claim 1, in which the 6 said assembledunit of the said electromagnetic relay includes a skeletonized subframeof conductive metal and an electromagnet anked on three sides by saidsubframe and supported thereby.

6. The combination defined in claim 5, together with current switchingconductors including a commutator drum rotatably carried by the saidsubframe adjacent to one axial end of the said electromagnet includingcircuit shifting contacts in constant electrical connection with saidsubframe.

7. The combination defined in claim 6, in which the said commutativedrum has a conductive axle journaled in the said subframe and constantlyin electrical connection therewith and also with the said circuitshifting contacts to aiford the said electrical connection between saidcontacts and said subframe.

8. The combination defined in claim 7, in which opposite sides of thesame subframe have open ended bearing notches in which the saidconductive axle is removably journaled.

9` The combination defined in claim 8, together with a conductive springleaf mounted on the said subframe and wipingly bearing on the said axlein a direction releasably retaining said axle in at least one of thesaid bearing notches.

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